We have a chance to win up to $15,000 for Uniting Distant Stars and we’d like your help!
Old National Bank is launching their Choose Your Charity event on November 19! Everyone is invited to vote for their favorite local 501(c)3 nonprofit—once a day, every day until December 17—by visiting the Choose Your Charity website at oldnational.com/cyc. Takes only seconds to complete.
The top vote-getter from the 31 communities Old National serves will receive $15,000! And $5,000 will go to the top vote-getter in each of their other 30 communities!
These funds could really make a difference to our organization as we continue our mission. So please take a few minutes out of your day to vote for us at oldnational.com/cyc, and spread the word on social media and any other way you can think of!
How are you today? We hope you are feeling fabulous! Why? You raised $2,270 for the Give to the Max Day (includes $600 match). We raised $1,185 last year, so you nearly doubled your generous giving. The matching gift was unlocked by 3:34 PM CST on November 19th by the fifth donor. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
Your support continues to help Liberian Youth learn valuable trade skills. In the video below, I explain how these skills are tangible because it’s something they keep after they graduate. Your students use these skills to provide for themselves and their families. Talk about a decent return on investment. Thank you!
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Heather Cannon, sharing why she gives to Uniting Distant Stars.
The Year-End Giving Season has started. Please take advantage of the $600 Matching Grant to double your impact today by donating at least $10 (click here). This year’s campaign, “Give to Train Liberian Youth for Trade Careers” shows how your generous gift allows our graduates to be employed or self-employed like Viola Blaine.
Viola Blaine is one of 212 students who have graduated from Uniting Distant Stars Vocational Training Center (UDSVTC) since 2017 from nine trades. Our courses include Auto Mechanics, Catering, Computers, Cosmetology, Electrician, Event Planning, Hotel Management, Plumbing, and Tailoring. The twelve-month programs are mostly practical learning. This means that Viola was able to start putting her skills to work and earning income immediately.
Why Students Enroll at Uniting Distant Stars
Many students come to UDSVTC because they can start on the path of becoming self-sufficient. Viola was 40 years old and a mother of 3 when she received her diploma in cosmetology. Although she had had some experience working in a hair salon, she was grateful to find a vocational school where she could learn more, improve her skills, and become certified.
Shortly after graduation, Viola got a job working in a salon. However, the pandemic shut down most businesses and she lost her job. However, she continues to earn income by doing hair at her home. Although times are difficult, she has not lost hope of the dream as she articulated when she graduated, “This diploma will provide a good opportunity for me to do my own business. UDSVTC is one of the best schools you can go to and get good vocational skills. Thanks to all for the knowledge I received.”
How Your Gift Makes a Difference
Viola is praying, like others around the globe, that this crisis ends soon so that we can all move on with our dreams. Hers is to someday become a successful business owner. Your donation will support UDSVTC in helping students help themselves and their families through entrepreneurship, the engine of economic growth and development. Together we can invest in the future of the people and youth of Liberia.
On October 31, Uniting Distant Stars Vocational Training Center held a general meeting. These meetings bring students and staff together to provide information and solicit feedback. Some shared how this is the first school they have attended in Liberia that “has so much respect for students”. Also, some commented on how this “is the only school that gets the students’ views before making any administrative decisions”. As you may recall in our last newsletter, we shared a video on how we are a youth-driven organization and the students’ feedback confirm this notion.
Additionally, the instructors talked about how much they appreciate the benefit of learning another trade. As a small institution, we pay a small monthly stipend so we added an incentive to learn a trade for free. Many of our instructors take advantage of this opportunity.
Introducing Uniting Distant Stars Instructors
Now we like to introduce you to our instructors and what other roles they play at Uniting Distant Stars. From the photo below we will start from the top photo and go left to right then down to the bottom two photos left to right as follows:
Michael Gaye, Event Decoration Co-Instructor (started in 2019). The class enrollment grew this year, so he has a co-instructor and he is learning from him.
Frank Tugbeh, Catering Instructor (started in 2018). He has a catering business on the side and continues to share his knowledge with the students.
Emmanuel Duwah, Cosmetology Instructor (started in 2019). He is active in his career as a hairstylist.
Myrtle Stoe, Hotel Management Teachers Assistant (started in 2019). She graduated from this course in 2019 and started assisting the instructor, Amed Saah Blama (not pictured). She also serves as the registrar and does other administrative duties. This year she enrolled in event decoration.
Nelson S. Borlay, Academy Principal and Vocational Training Administration (started in 2018). He is enrolled in catering.
Kelvin Fomba, Auto Mechanics & Computer Instructors. He wears many hats including Co-Founder & Country Director and will help anywhere that is needed.
Boakai Dillion, Electrician Instructor (started in 2018). He is a 2017/2018 graduate and took over for the ailing instructor in 2018. Boakai is started helping with administrative duties last year and wants to continue to grow with the organization.
Daniel Williams, Event Decoration Co-Instructor (started 2020). He comes with extensive experience in event decorating, thus the reason why Michael wants to learn from him. He is also enrolled as an electrician student.
Askia D. Nyandibo, Plumbing Instructor (started in 2019). He currently works as a plumber.
Jerry Paypay, Tailoring Instructor (started in 2018). He makes time from his busy tailoring business to teach your students how to make and repair clothes and other items.
Don’t you love it when your generous giving changes a young person’s life for the better? Well, that is exactly what you did for Joseph P. Nathan!
Joseph lives in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. Like Monrovia, it is a port city but about two hours away. He heard about our vocational training program and relocated to Monrovia last year to take the electrician course. He received his Electrician Diploma on August 1st and returned to Buchanan. Within a month, he landed a job with a company in his home city. As you can see, your generous giving does make a difference. Thank you!
On Saturday, August 1, 2020, 60 vocational training graduates arrived to receive their diplomas. Two others showed up that day to check-in and received their diplomas later in the week. Since the schools closed in March, some students left the city to spend time with their families in the interior. So, we could see additional graduates in the coming weeks or months.
During the months of June and July, students came to the center to take a photo in a cap and gown for their diplomas. We took these photos and arranged them their respective courses as shown below. Please join us in congratulating the 2019/2020 graduates in receiving their diplomas!
Meet your Catering Graduates who made all the delicious treats during the past year. Some interned at Kailando Hotel near our center.
Meet your Computer Graduates who have learned the components, typing, and Microsoft Suite. Graduate with *** took 3 courses and ** took 2 courses.
Meet your Cosmetology Graduates, who have learned how to style hair, give facials, and manicures/pedicures. Graduate with *** took 3 courses.
Meet your Electrician Graduates with our first female, Mayesa, who learned how to work and install electricity along with installing our second phase of solar.
Meet your Hotel Management Graduates, who learned the many different roles from the front desk to housekeeping. Some interned at Kailando Hotel near our center. Graduate with *** took 3 courses and ** took 2 courses.
Meet your Plumbing Graduates who learned how to install pipe and fixtures, and connect the waterline, and your Tailoring Graduate learned how to cut and sew any outfit you would like.
Our heartfelt THANKS for being part of their year-long learning journey! Your kindness and support helped them achieve this important milestone of graduating.
